Champion 8GCBC accident near Fairbanks, Alaska, March 9, 1995
On March 9, 1995 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Champion 8GCBC, registered N88297, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairbanks, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PRE-FLIGHT PLANNING. A SHORT TAKEOFF AREA THAT WAS COVERED WITH SOFT SNOW WERE FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 9, 1995 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fairbanks, Alaska
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Champion 8GCBC · all 8GCBCs on the register
- Registration
- N88297 · registry record · serial 104-74
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING A REMOTE OFF-AIRPORT LANDING AREA IN A SKI EQUIPPED AIRPLANE ON A PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT AT THE CONCLUSION OF A HUNTING TRIP. UTILIZING SNOW SHOES AND THE AIRCRAFT SKIS, THE PILOT PACKED THE SNOW IN THE TAKEOFF AREA. ADDITIONALLY, HE CUT SEVERAL TREES ABOUT 800 TO 1,000 FEET FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT TO CLEAR A DEPARTURE PATH. DURING THE TAKE- OFF RUN, THE RIGHT SKI DUG INTO SOFT SNOW, SLOWING THE AIRPLANE AND EXTENDING THE TAKEOFF RUN. AFTER LIFT-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO CLIMB ABOVE ADDITIONAL TREES AT THE END OF THE DEPARTURE AREA.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,400 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 3, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,130 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2E (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: FAI AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 20 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N88297 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.